1Rank 01 of 8 · Best Winter Tyres 225/45 R17
Continental Continental WinterContact TS 870
The only tyre here to win in this exact size in both test programmes — ADAC 2023 and Auto Express 2025, its third consecutive win. Leads on wet handling, dry braking and interior noise.
8.8BPR score
- €144Price
- 1st of 16 — 2.0 gut (ADAC 2023) and 1st of 8 (Auto Express 2025)Independent test result in 225/45 R17
- 1 of 8in Best Winter Tyres 225/45 R17
- 8.8BPR score 0–10
Review
What this product is
Written after the analysis, from the same sources the score is built on: the manufacturer's documentation, available studies and verified owner feedback.
This is the strongest evidence base of any tyre in the ranking, and unusually it is all measured in the size you are buying.
ADAC / ÖAMTC / TCS 2023, conducted in 225/45 R17 on a VW Golf: first of 16 with 2.0 "gut", scoring 2.0 for safety and 2.0 for environment, with sub-grades of C dry, B wet and B snow at 70 dB. Auto Express 2025, also in 225/45 R17 on a VW Golf 8: first of eight, leading wet handling, dry braking and interior noise — described as its third consecutive win in this size.
The EU label for 225/45 R17 94V XL reads rolling resistance C, wet grip B, 70 dB class B, with EPREL registration 481380. Both M+S and 3PMSF markings are present, so it is legal everywhere in Europe including Germany after the October 2024 rule change.
It is available in three load indices in this size, and the price spread is small enough to be worth checking: 91H at €141.17, 94H XL at €146.94, and 94V XL at €143.86. Fit the index your vehicle documentation specifies.
What it does not have is a class-leading label. Rolling resistance is C, where the Nokian manages B; wet grip is B, where the Pirelli manages A. The case for this tyre is that in two independent tests conducted in this exact size it was balanced across every surface, which the label does not capture.
The honest weakness is price. At €143.86 it is €34 more than the Hankook and €51 more than the Falken. Whether that is worth it depends on how much of your winter driving is genuinely marginal.
Technical data
Specification
Figures from the manufacturer's documentation, verified against available outside sources. Values we could not confirm are marked as declared.
- Size and index tested
- 225/45 R17 94V XL EVc
- EU label - rolling resistance
- C
- EU label - wet grip
- B
- EU label - noise
- 70 dB, class B
- EPREL registration
- 481380
- Markings
- M+S and 3PMSF
- ADAC/OeAMTC/TCS 2023 (225/45 R17)
- 1st of 16, grade 2.0 gut - safety 2.0, environment 2.0
- ADAC sub-grades
- Dry C, wet B, snow B
- Auto Express 2025 (225/45 R17)
- 1st of 8 - led wet handling, dry braking, interior noise
- Other indices
- 91H EUR 141.17, 94H XL EUR 146.94
- Price
- EUR 143.86 (94V XL)
Component scores
Where the score
comes from.
Four components, equal weight, each on a 0–10 scale and each resting on a named source. The overall score is their mean — the full procedure is in the methodology.
What we liked
- Won this exact size in both ADAC 2023 (2.0 gut) and Auto Express 2025
- Third consecutive Auto Express win in 225/45 R17
- Led wet handling, dry braking and interior noise at Auto Express
- Balanced across dry, wet and snow rather than specialised
- 70 dB class B, joint quietest here
- EPREL registration verified (481380)
- Available in 91H, 94H XL and 94V XL
Worth knowing
- €143.86 — the most expensive of the mainstream group
- Rolling resistance only C, where the Nokian achieves B
- Wet grip B, where the Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3 achieves A
- The ADAC result dates from 2023
- €51 more than the cheapest 3PMSF tyre here
Comparison
How it compares
within the category
All values come from the same analysis and are comparable only within the category Best Winter Tyres 225/45 R17.
| Product | Score | Independent test result in 225/45 R17 | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Continental WinterContact TS 870This product · top score | 8.8 | 1st of 16 — 2.0 gut (ADAC 2023) and 1st of 8 (Auto Express 2025) | €144 |
| Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3Runner-up | 8.6 | 2nd of 8 (Auto Express 2025, 225/45 R17) | €134 |
| Category average8 products analysed | 8.2 | — | — |
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Which load index should I buy?
The one your vehicle documentation specifies — the Certificate of Conformity or the owner's manual. This size is sold in 91 (615 kg), 94 non-XL and 94 XL (670 kg), at similar prices, so it is genuinely easy to buy the wrong one. The index number, not the XL letter, is the legally binding figure. Note that 94 appears on both XL and non-XL constructions depending on the model.
Is the 2023 ADAC result still relevant?
For this tyre, reasonably — it won Auto Express in the same size in 2025, so the performance has been independently confirmed more recently. A 2026 ADAC test had not been published when we wrote this; it usually appears in late September or October, and we will update this page when it does.
From the same ranking
Other products in Best Winter Tyres 225/45 R17.
The same protocol, the same key parameter, the same set of sources.
-
No. 028.6/ 10
Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3
Second at Auto Express 2025 in this size, and the outright winner of the ADAC 2025 test — in…
-
No. 038.5/ 10
Bridgestone Blizzak 6
Third at Auto Express 2025 in this size, at €125.58 — €18 below the Continental. The Enliten…
-
No. 048.2/ 10
Dunlop Winter Sport 5
Fourth in the ADAC 2023 test in this exact size at 2.4 "gut", for €111.64 — €32 below the…
-
No. 058.2/ 10
Nokian WR Snowproof P
The only tyre here with rolling resistance class B, at €103.69 — and ADAC noted good wear. But…